Flap and jet device for airplane wings



April 1949- R. MORRISSON 2,466,466

FLAP AND JET DEVICE FOR AIRPLANE WINGS Filed Nov. 1, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet1 Fig.1

. v INVENTOR Reeves MOI'IISSOH April 5, 1949. R. MORRISSON 6 FLAP ANDJET DEVICE FOR AIRPLANE WINGS Filed Nov. 1, 1945 3' Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR.

24 Reeves M rr/sson Aprii 1949. R. MORRISSON ,4

FLAP AND JET DEVICE FOR AIRPLANE WINGS Filed Nov. 1, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet3 INVENTORI Reeves Morrlssqn 59 W- 12 WW flzioa'mey Patented Apr. 5,1949 neea iiig cr .FQR AIRPLANE .WINGS v Reeves Morrisson GlastonburyConn., assignor to United Aircraft Corporation, East Hartford, I Conm, acorporation of Delaware I Application l lo veinber 1, 1945, Serial No.626,116

7 This invention relates tojet propelled aijrplanes 'andhas; among itsobjects the provision of an improved construction for an airplane orthis type by which both-the lift of the wings and the propulsive effectof the jets are increasedQf More specifically'itis an object of theinvention to provide ejectors inthe airplane wings, through which thejetsl'discharge arranged to improve the flow of air over the-wingsurfaces by drawing off thesta gnant boundary layer of air and delayingwing stall and alsoto preventstalling of auxiliary surfaces located atthe trailing edges of; the wings. A- further object of the invention isto accelerate the stagnant air-that is drawn into the ejector anddischarge the same i'earwardly toincrease the mass o'ffithe fluidstreanidischarged and increase the propulsion eifie'ctko i the jets.

I A still further object b i -the invention is to increase thelift; ofthe wings and-thetrailing edge flaps of ajet propelledairplane. g Y Ayet further object its-generally to improve jet propelled aircraft-.- iv Other objects and advantages of the invention will be particularlypointed out hereinafter or will be evident from the'detailed description"ofthe accompanying drawings in which several desirable embodimentshoifthe invention have been shown for purposes of-i1lustration.; *Inthesedrawings;

Fig. 1 is a somewhatdiag-ra'inrhaticplan view of a jet propelledairplane embodying the inven- Fig. 2; is a diagrammatic sectional viewonline 2- -2 taken through "a wing of the'airplah'efof Fig.- 1 andillustrating a jet-in a-flapfafl 'the trailing edge of the wing and 'anejectorin the wing for removing the boundary-layerair and dischargin itthrough the jet in accord "with the present invention; 5 H

Fig. 3 shows a modified arrangement in which the trailing edge flapismade in two paIts' and a differential moti-onis provided forcontrolling the effect of theejector'as the flap parts move abouttheir'pivots; j

Fig. 4 illustrates a modified construction utilizing a different type offiap in which the jet discharges over the upper'suria'ce of the flap;

Fig. 5 shows another modification in which the jet is discharged bothover and through the flap;

Fig. 6 shows a lip forjdirectingthe-jetdischarge over the flap of theFigs l and 5 "c6instructions;

Fig. 7 shows another modified"constructiohin which a fairing movablewith "the flap forms nozzles, the dischargejets iroinwhichfentrain airfrom above and belowthewing 'at tlie flaphinge 10 claims. (o1: 2 14 42which' merge into i a 'single "trailing edge of the flap; i 'F'ig-. 8 isa-det'ail view showing a modification of the Figtflconstruction andincluding an-adjustable lip for directing the jet discharge over theflap; A Figs. 9;and l0 illustrate a nozzle construction in which a;plurality otcooperating surfaces (cardried by the wing-land-flap deflectthe jets from fixed nozzles on the-wing; causing the'jets tofol- '-lowthe-upper surface of the fiap as the latter {hQvesdot/h; and g 1 Fig.11-is-a somewhat similarview of a modified construction for causing thejet to follow discharge jet at the along the top surface offiapdn its-deflected positions. I H i h V v.

-Fig.1show ssomewhat diagrammatically a jet propelled airplanehaving'wings' l0 provided with pivoted flaps I I along the majorportions of their trailing edges, Each wing I0 is provided with aspanwise duct; or compartment I2 'intoiwhich compressed gasses aredirected from the power plant- The power plant-may-comprise an engine l3dr iv ing a compressor 'l twhich draws air in through the nose offtheifuselage and passes it over the'engineli before discharging it into theducts l2 in the wings. Fuel maybe injectedand burned at l5 if desiredto, increase the energy of evai -fl w a Jlhe gasesin' thewin'greservoir, or duct, l2 of each wing are discharged through a nozzleI6 into anie'ject'or passage J8 in the aft part of the wing-just forwardof theflap hinge. The ejector draws-air from thenupper surface of thewing [through a passage .26, thereby removing the stagnantbouridarylayer on the upper surface of ;.the wing anddela'ying wingstall. The removal oflthe..bounda1'=y layer by the ejector not onlyimproves the flow of 'air over, the upperwing surface but also preventsstalling of the flap whichis pivoted tothe trailing edge of thewing."The flap is formed in tWopartsZZ and 26, pivoted ,at 12a and 24 a,;providing a jet discharge passage --26 between them. The jet issuingfrom the ejector is discharged through the discharge passage 26 carryingthe stagnant air that is drawn into the ejector with itsand :under :someconditions of operation the thrust from the discharge jet 26,"duetoitsgreatermass;isgreater than that of the'jetiromfthen0Zz1e""l6;"the" removal'of the a boundaryiayer air thusriricreasing thepropulsive e'fiect of "the "jetaswell as increasing the lift of thewing?" Suitable ilinkage mechanismis providedforinovihgtliupperdnd-lowerfiap parts the flap about the flap pivot 42.

3 22 and 24 in unison about their pivots into lowered positions relativeto the main part of the wing, one of which lowered positions is shown indotted lines in Fig. 2.

The construction shown in Fig. 3 differs from that shown in Fig. 2 inthat a differential motion is provided rby the operating linkage for theflap to varythenozzle area-at 26 and control theflow at passage 20.

In Fig. 4 a different type of flap is shown in which the jet dischargingfrom the nozzle l6 discharges over the upper surface of 'a'one-pieceflap 28. The main wing is otherwise identical with that shown in Fig.This arrangement makes possible a better control of fiap .stall and maybe advantageous in some installations.

The modified construction shown in Fig. 5 illustrates a method ofdischarging the jet from the nozzle I6 through the divided flap parts.22 and 24 in accordance with the construction shown :in :Fig. 2 whilealso providing for a discharge through the passage 30 over the upperflap portion :22. This arrangement allows the ejector to work upontheair fiowingover the wing at three points, i. 'e., at the intake .point20, at the flap hinge passage 30 and at the trailing edge where thepassage '26 discharges. This arrangement "very materially increases thelift of the wing.

Fig. 6 shows a detailed modification in which the passage 30 moredirectly over the vuppersurface of thelatter in the down positions ofthe flap.

In Fig. '7 a modified construction has been shown in which a fixed wingportion 34 carries an integral flap 36 having a centrally disposedpassage 3B :and a fairing 40 which moves with Passages 44 and 46 whichcommunicate with both the upper and lower boundary areasare providedabove and this boundary air through the passage 38 at the trailing edgeof the flap. This arrangement very materially increases the thrust ofthe discharge jet from passage 38.

Fig. 8 shows an enlarged detailed modification of an adjustable lip 48applied to the flap 3,1".- -rangement shown in Fig. 4. In thisconstruction va single flap 28 is pivoted to the lower trailing edgesurface of the wing and .a curved lip assists .in directing the jet overthe upper surface of the flap in the lower positions of adjustment Ithereof. To further direct the jet along the surface of the flap in itslower positions an ex? tension 28a of the same curvature as the lip iscarried by the flap and slidesalongthe under side of the fixed lip'toform an extension of the lip in the lowered positions of the flap.

Figs. 9, and 1'1 show still further modified constructions in which airfrom the main wing reservoir I2 is discharged through a series ofpreferably rectangular nozzles 50 arranged along the hinge line of theflap, and is caused to closely follow th upper-surface of the flap inthe'various deflected positions of the latter.

It has been found that a jet discharged rearwardly over a downwardlydeflected flap causes a low pressure area to'form at the point where thejet tends to break away from the upper surface of the flap, 'so that thejet tends to .follow the flap surface as the latter continues to .bemoved downwardly, provided this low pressure cut in the upper wingsurface. and the top surface of the 113.11 .5413 :form jet area is notdestroyed by air entering from the sides.

In Fig. 9 one construction is shown for causing a jet discharged intothe intermediate passage 52 of a flap 54 pivoted to the wing at 56 tofollow the line of deflection of the fiap. A series oftongues 58 fixedatspacedpoints tothe upper surface -of th flap at its hinge are providedwith pairs of parallel barriers 59 also carried by the flap and betweenwhich the nozzles 50 discharge. Thus the tongues 58 and barriers 59provide jet confining channels which prevent discharge nozzles 50 whichcommunicate with the interior wing duct l2 through-openings 50a Thebarriers 59a channels adjacent the flap hinge line having closed sidesin all positions of deflection of the flap. .Since the area beneath thejet at which the jet would normally break away from the defiectedfiap issealed bythejet and the barriers against ingress of air from thesides-of the jet,

the jet will follow the flap even at extreme angles of deflection.

Theoperation of the several forms of themvention illustrated is believedto be apparent from the above description.

It will be evident that as a result of this -invention, means have beenprovided for drawing air-from the wing surfaces by means of an ejectorand for discharging the boundary layer air from the ejector rearwardlyto provide increased :thrust while also delaying the stall of the wingandpf the auxiliarysurfaces pivoted to the trailingedge thereof.

It will also be'evident that as a result of this invention an improvedhigh lift wing has been provided while also providing a more effective.means ,of jet propulsion.

Several forms which the invention may take in practice have beenillustrated and described herein but it will be understood that variousthanges may be made in the constructions illustrated without departingfrom the scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an aircraft, a wing having a pivoted flap at its trailing-edge, asource of fluid under pressure in said wing, an ejector in said wingreceiving fluid from said source having a nozzle "nozzle, a source offluid under pressure in said wing discharging into said ejector, andcooperating means carried by said wing and flap for causing the fluiddischarged from said ejector nozzle to flow over the top surface of saidflap in its various angular positions relative to said wing includingbarriers carried by said flap on opposite sides of said nozzle formingextensions of the side walls of said nozzle in the various angularlydeflected positions of said flap.

3. An arrangement as set forth in claim 1 in which the channel-shapedpassage for receiving the jet issuing from the nozzle is formed byspaced chordwise barriers located on opposite sides of the nozzle whichform extensions of the nozzle side walls in the various angularlydeflected positions of the flap.

4. An arrangement set forth in claim 3 in which the barriers are carriedby the flap.

5. An arrangement as set forth in claim 1 in which a plurality ofejectors are provided in spaced relation spanwise of the wing and aplurality of channel-shaped passages are provided for receiving the jetsissuing from the nozzles of said ejectors.

6. An arrangement as set forth in claim 1 in which the nozzle iselevated above the surface of the wing and has vertical chordwise sidewalls terminating adjacent the hinge line of the flap, and the meanscooperating therewith includes vertical chordwise barriers carried bythe flap and forming extensions of said nozzle side walls.

'7. An arrangement as set forth in claim 6 in which the barriers carriedby the flap extend within and overlap the side walls of the nozzleadjacent the hinge line of said flap.

8. In an aircraft, a wing, a flap pivoted about a hinge line adjacentthe trailing edge of said Wing, a source of fluid under pressure in saidwing, an ejector in said wing receiving fluid from said source having anozzle discharging over a major surface of said flap, and means forsealing off the jet issuing from said nozzle against entrance of airfrom the sides in the vicinity of said hinge line including barriersupstanding from said surface and forming chordwise extensions of theside walls of said nozzle in various angular deflections of said flap.

9. In an aircraft, a wing, a flap pivoted about a hinge line adjacentthe trailing edge of said wing,

a source of fluid under pressure in said wing, a plurality of ejectorsin spaced relation spanwise in said wing receiving fluid from saidsource and having nozzles discharging over a major surface of said flapwhich is common to all of said nozzles, and means providing an open topchannel on said surface for the jet issuing from each of said nozzlesincluding a plurality of spaced chordwise barriers forming extensions ofthe side walls of said nozzle in various angular deflections of saidflap.

10. In an aircraft, a wing, a trailing edge flap pivoted adjacent thetrailing edge of said win includingspaced upper and lower airfoilsections, said lower section forming a continuation of the lower surfaceof said wing and said upper section forming a spanwise slot between theleading edge thereof and the trailing edge of said wing, an ejectoradjacent the trailing edge of said wing including a discharge nozzle, asource of fluid under pressure in said wing discharging into saidejector for drawing off boundary layer air through said slot from abovesaid wing, and cooperating means carried by said wing and flap forcausing the combined mixture of said fluid and boundary layer air whichis discharged from said ejector to flow over said lower flap section inits various angular positions relative to said wing including barrierscarried by said flap on opposite sides of said nozzle forming extensionsof the sidewalls of said nozzle in the various angularly deflectedpositions of said flap.

REEVES MORRISSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,420,323 Meyer et al May 13,1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 390,363 Great Britain Apr. 6,1933 886,889 France July 19, 1943

